A pipe flange is a disc, collar or ring attached to a pipe for the purpose of providing increased support or implementing the attachment of another item, such as an additional section of pipe. During installation of two abutting sections of pipe, a surface of the flange of one pipe mates with a surface of the flange of an adjacent pipe and then the flanges are connected together, for example, by welding or with bolts. However, the mating contact surface of the flange may require one or more surface finishing operations prior to connection of the flanges. These surface finishing operations are time consuming and very labor intensive.
Accordingly, those skilled in the art continue with research and development efforts in the field of surface finishing flange surfaces of pipes.